Floor rack for refrigerator cars



Jan. 23, 1940. Y c. D. BoNsALL 2,188,171

` FLOOR RACK FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed March 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet lV7 f/ ik 32 I F/g. /4L Afm/776g Jan. 23, 1940. c. D. BONSALL FLOOR RACKFOR RE'FRIGERATOR CARS Filed March 3, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedJan. 23, 1940 UNITED 2,188,171 FLooItv RACK. Foa miraranmrrou GARSCharles David Bonsall, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner to Standard RailwayEquipment Manufactur ing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of yDelaware Application March -3, 1938, Serial No. 193,742

9 Claims.

The invention relates to insulated refrigerator cars used to transport`perishable commodities, such as vegetables, fruits, berriesfmeats,eggs, frozen sh, etc., and to maintain such commodities while in transitWithin a predetermined range of temperature, thus necessitating the useof a cooling means in the summer and a` heating means in the winter. Ithas been found that perishable commodities which have not been a1- loWedto get'too cold (freeze) or too hot (bake) have a high market valuebecause they have a longer storage life.

The object of `the invention is to provide a floor rack for arefrigerator car Whichis very strong to support vertical loads and hasgreat strength in a horizontal direction (to resist the tendency of ashifting load to move the oor rack sidewise) without materiallyretarding the flow of air below the floor rack or materially reducingthe amount of air flow through the floor rack.

In the drawings: Figs. 1 and 2 are longitudinal and transverse sectionsrespectively of a refrigerator car show-` ing the correlation of mydevice tok the other elements of a car.

Fig. 3 Iis a perspective view of `my fioor rack. y y Fig. 4 isa sectionon line 4-34 of Fig. 3. vFig.4 5 shows a modified construction.

improved Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modication` of my fioorrack.` .I

. Fig. 7 is a section on line 'L -1.0i Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a' section online 8-8 of Fig.16.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a modification of my floor rack. -Y

Fig. 10is asection on line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11,is av section online II-IIof Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 13 is a section on line I3-I3 of Fig. 12. Fig; 14is a section online I4-I4 of Fig. 12.

In the form of my invention illustrated the re frigerator car isprovided with a bulkhead 2 separating the refrigerant chamber 3 from thelading compartment 4. with an aperture 5 Vadjacent the floor Grof thecarand an aperture 'I adjacent the ceiling 8 of the car with a solidwall 9 therebetween.

A refrigerant is supported by the grates I0 in the refrigerant chamber 3in spaced relation to the oor 6 of the car and the basket (or netting)II spaces the refrigerant from the end wall I2 and bulkhead 2 to providetheflues I3I4.` The apertured iioor rack I5 supports therladingso as Thebulkhead .2 is providedl to provide the space or flue I6 which communi-Cates with the fiues I3-I4. A refrigerant, such as ice, in therefrigerant chamber induces a convection circulation of air from theflues I3-I4 through the flue space I6 and the aperture I'I in the floorrack I5, and as the air is warmed by ,the lading, it rises and passesthrough the bulkhead upper opening l and thence through the fiues I3-I4,and being cooled by the refrigerant, repeats the convection cycle.

Figs. 3 and 4 show my improved floor rack I5 comprising a foraminous oorsupported upon the insulated or main floor 6 ofthe car by a plurality ofparallel stringers 2| to provide the plurality of spaces or fiues I6between the foraminous oor 2U and the insulated or main floor 6 whichcommunicate with the flues I3`I4 in the refrigerant chamber.

Each stringer 2I preferably is made of a me tallic plate pressed to forma channel shaped member comprising spaced apart walls 24 connected by aweb 25 and outwardly projecting upper lateral flanges 2S. Such aStringer provides I avery strong member to support vertical loads,especially when the walls are prevented from spreading. The walls arepreferably provided with` apertures 21 for air circulation. The spaces28 between the walls rThe foraminous floor I5 comprises a plurality ofmetallic panels 30 with the margins of 'each 24 also provide ues which Acommunicate with the flues I3--I4.

panel preferably downwardly offset as at 3| and underlying a margin ofan adjacent panel and secured thereto preferably by welding. Such aconstruction provides a smooth upper surface for the foraminous floorwhich is essential in a refrigerator car because any projection on theiioor `Would jag a lading container when the load is shifted or when theload is being squeezed place by the wedge bracing at the doorway. ThisWedge bracing compresses the load 'in opposite directions toward theends of the car to obtain a compact or tight lading to eliminateshifting ofthe `lading in transit. The underlying margins of some ofsaid panels are formed with a ange 32 which preferably rests upon and issecured to the stringers 2I to provide a plurality of beams between thestringers 2I. The flanges 32 may be Welded directly to the stringers.

The anges are preferably provided `with reflanges 33 to materiallyincrease the tension sides of the beams and increase the bearing areasof beams upon the stringers; also to provide meansfor riveting the beamsto` the'stringers The foraminous oor 5 comprises an apertured metallicsheet and some of the apertures |1 are preferably positioned over therei-langes 33 of the flanges 32 to facilitate riveting or welding theflanges (or reilanges) -to the stringers.- Y

The apertures I1 are preferably formed with depending peripherical anges35 to strengthen the metallic sheet between adjacent flanges 32.-

These anges preferably extend from one flange y 32 to adjacent anotherflange 32.

Fig. 5 shows a modification wherein each of the panels is provided witha relatively deep marginal flange attached to the stringers 2| f and arelatively shallow marginal flange 4| secured to the deep flange 40 ofthe adjacent,

panel, preferably by welded `material at 42.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show a modification of my invention in which theforaminousfloor comprises a'continuous vperforated metallic plate 50sup-- ported on and secured to a plurality of beams 5| extending betweenthe stringers 52. The plate 'is provided with `a. plurality ofintegrally formed rib-like depressions 53 extending transversely to thebeams 5|, the purpose being to stiifen the plate over the span betweensaid beams. The apertures 58 in the plate 50 are preferably formed withdepending peripherical flanges to strengthen the plate 5B between thebeams 5I. These flanges preferably extend from one beam 5| to adjacentanother beam 5I. The beams 5| are offset to provide depressions 51 forseating the strengthening ribs 53. The beams 5| are preferably formedwith a vertical web 5 4, a horizontal flange for securing, by welding orriveting, to the plate 50, and a horizontal flange 5 6 `for securing tothe Stringer v52.

Figs. 9, 10 and l1 show a modification of my 'invention in which theforaminous oor comprises a continuous perforated metallic plate 60supported on and secured to a plurality of beams 6l yarrangedsubstantially parallel to the string- 'I'he apertures 61 in the plate 60are preferably formed with depending peripherical flanges to strengthenthe plate BIJ between the beams 6|. from onebeam 6| to adjacent anotherbeam 6|.

Said beams 6 l are preferably formed with a vertical' web .65, an upperhorizontal flange '6 4 vand a lower horizontal flange 65 and rest uponyand l beams 6|.

"loi

`are secured to a plurality of preferably similar beams 66 arrangedtransversely to said upper t The lower beams 56 rest'upon and aresecured to the stringers 62. 'I'he distance between the upper beam 6l isless thanr the distance between the beams 66 and the distance between vthe beams 66 is less than the distance be# .l tween the stringers 62.

Figs. 12-14 show a modification of Fig. 3 in whichhave been addeddepressed stiifeners 10 extending across several panels 30 transverselyto the flanges 32.

.The drawings illustrate the iioo-r rack supported onchannel-shapedstringers made of a metallic plate. Other types ofstringers, such as, forV example, wood, may be used in their place.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the' preferred vform `of theinvention, though it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as itis obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of theclaims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

These flanges preferably extend( I claim:

1. In a refrigerator car, the combination of an insulated oor, aforaminous floor, a plurality of parallel stringers supporting theforaminous floor above the insulated floor to provide a space betweensaid oors, and means to induce an air current in said space, saidforaminousfloor comprising a plurality of perforated rlfietallic panelswith a margin of each panel underlying a margin `of Ian adjacent paneland secured thereto, the

jcurrent vin said space, said foraminous floor comprising a plurality ofperforated metallic panels with a margin of each panel underlying amargin of an adjacent panel and secured thereto,

thevunde'rlying margin of each panel formed' with a flange provided witha reange, said re-l flanges extending betweenand secured to saidstringers.

3. In a refrigerator car, the combination of an' insulated floor, aforaminous floor, a plurality of parallel stringers supporting theforaminous floor abovethe insulated licor to provide a space betweensaid floors, and means to induce an air current in said space, each ofsaid stringers cornprising substantially parallel walls connected by aweb, said foraminous oor comprising a plurality of perforated metallicpanels with a margin of each panel underlying a margin of an adjacentpanel and secured thereto, the underlying margin of each panel formedwith a flange, said flanges extending between said stringers and securedvto both walls thereof.

4. In a refrigerator car, the combination of an insulated floor,aforaminous floor, a plurality of parallel stringers's'upportingthe'foraminous floor above the insulated floor to provide a spacebetween said oors, and'means to induce an air current in said space,said foraminous floor comthe underlying margin 'of each panel formedwith a flange provided' witha reflange, said'reflanges extending betweenand fsec'uredto said stringers, s'aidforamin'aus' oor provided withapertures'above the intersections 'of the reflanges with the stringersto facilitate securing the' reflanges to the stringers. y l' i 5. In arefrigerator "car, the-combination of''an insulated floor, aforaminousoor, a plurality of parallel stringers "supporting theforaminous floor above the insulated oor to `provide a space betweensaid floors, and means 4to induce an air current in said space, saidforaminous licor comprising a plurality of' perforated metallic panelswith a marginof each panel -downwardly offset andunderlying a margin ofan adjacent panel andsecured thereto' to provide a smooth upper an air'current in said space, said foraminousy floor comprising a plurality ofperforated metallic panels, each of said panels having a relatively deepmarginal iiange secured to the stringers and a relatively shallowmarginal ange secured to the deep flange of the adjacent panel.

7. A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein a plurality of saidmetallic panels are formed with a continuous corrugation extendingnormally to and crossing the flanges of these metallic panels to formstiffeners therebetween.

8. In a refrigerator car, the combination of an insulated oor, aforaminous floor, a plurality of parallel stringers supporting theforaminous floor above ther insulated floor to provide a space betweensaid floors, and means to induce an air current in said space, saidforaminous oor comprising a plurality of perforated metallic panels witha margin of each panel formed with aydepending ange extending betweenand secured to said stringers, the margin of each panel opposite theiianged margin thereof being secured to the vflanged margin of theadjacenty panel. v

9. A structure as deiined in claim 8 wherein said metallic panels areprovided with apertures extending substantially between the dependingflanges of adjacent metallic sheets with the portions of the metallicsheets around said apertures being bent to form continuous flanges whichfunction as beams between said depending flanges.

CHARLES DAVID BONSALL.

